U.S. patent number 8,991,463 [Application Number 13/760,228] was granted by the patent office on 2015-03-31 for film peeling apparatus and film peeling method using the same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Samsung Display Co., Ltd.. The grantee listed for this patent is Gyoo-Wan Han, Il-Young Jeong, Jeong-Hun Woo. Invention is credited to Gyoo-Wan Han, Il-Young Jeong, Jeong-Hun Woo.
United States Patent |
8,991,463 |
Jeong , et al. |
March 31, 2015 |
Film peeling apparatus and film peeling method using the same
Abstract
A film peeling apparatus includes a peeling pin that push-lifts
a first end portion of a cut portion of a film toward a second end
portion of the cut portion, a peeling roller that push-lifts the
second end portion of the cut portion toward the first end portion
of the cut portion by closely contacting the second end portion of
the cut portion and rotating, and an absorbing unit that absorbs
and removes the cut portion of the film push-lifted by the peeling
pin and peeling roller.
Inventors: |
Jeong; Il-Young (Yongin,
KR), Han; Gyoo-Wan (Yongin, KR), Woo;
Jeong-Hun (Yongin, KR) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Jeong; Il-Young
Han; Gyoo-Wan
Woo; Jeong-Hun |
Yongin
Yongin
Yongin |
N/A
N/A
N/A |
KR
KR
KR |
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|
Assignee: |
Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
(Yongin-City, Gyunggi-Do, KR)
|
Family
ID: |
50185788 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/760,228 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2013 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20140060748 A1 |
Mar 6, 2014 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Sep 4, 2012 [KR] |
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10-2012-0097868 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
156/759; 156/763;
156/765; 156/715; 156/718; 156/716 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B
43/006 (20130101); B29C 63/0013 (20130101); Y10T
156/1972 (20150115); Y10T 156/1132 (20150115); Y10T
156/1944 (20150115); Y10T 156/195 (20150115); B32B
2457/20 (20130101); Y10T 156/1983 (20150115); Y10T
156/1179 (20150115); Y10T 156/1189 (20150115); Y10T
156/1174 (20150115); Y10T 156/11 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B32B
38/10 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2008-280157 |
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Nov 2008 |
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JP |
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2011-077098 |
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Apr 2011 |
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JP |
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10 2006-01094 |
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Oct 2006 |
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KR |
|
Primary Examiner: Osele; Mark A
Assistant Examiner: Harm; Nickolas
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lee & Morse, P.C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A film peeling apparatus, comprising: a peeling pin that
push-lifts a first end portion of a cut portion of a film toward a
second end portion of the cut portion; a peeling roller that
push-lifts the second end portion of the cut portion toward the
first end portion of the cut portion by closely contacting the
second end portion of the cut portion and rotating; and an
absorbing unit that absorbs and removes the cut portion of the film
push-lifted by the peeling pin and peeling roller.
2. The film peeling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gap
probe that measures a distance between a panel on which the film is
located and the film peeling apparatus and that determines whether
the cut portion is properly removed based on the measured
distance.
3. The film peeling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the absorbing
unit includes: an absorbing nozzle that contacts the cut portion; a
vacuum pump that applies an absorbing force to the absorbing
nozzle; an absorbing tube that interconnects the absorbing nozzle
and the vacuum pump; and a scrap case, into which the cut portion
is introduced via the absorbing tube and in which the introduced
cut portion is housed.
4. The film peeling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the peeling pin
is made of a plastic material or a metal.
5. The film peeling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the peeling pin
is made of a plastic material that includes a polyether ether
ketone.
6. The film peeling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the peeling pin
is made of a metal that includes a stainless steel.
7. The film peeling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the peeling
roller is made of a plastic material.
8. The film peeling apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plastic
material includes a polyether ether ketone.
9. The film peeling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the peeling pin
is insertable into a gap between the first end portion of the cut
portion and a remaining portion of the film in order to push-lift
the first end portion of the cut portion toward the second end
portion of the cut portion.
10. The film peeling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the peeling pin
and peeling roller are configured to push-lift opposite end
portions of the cut portion toward a center of the cut portion so
as to form a mountain-like push-lifted portion at the center of the
cut portion.
11. A film peeling method, comprising: push-lifting a first end
portion of a cut portion of a film toward a second end portion of
the cut portion by using a peeling pin; push-lifting the second end
portion of the cut portion toward the first end portion of the cut
portion by bringing a peeling roller into close contact with the
second end portion of the cut portion and rotating the peeling
roller; and absorbing and removing the push-lifted portion by using
an absorbing unit.
12. The film peeling method of claim 11, further comprising
measuring a distance between a panel on which the film is located
and the film peeling apparatus by using a gap probe and determining
whether the cut portion is properly removed based on the measured
distance.
13. The film peeling method of claim 11, wherein the absorbing unit
includes: an absorbing nozzle that contacts the cut portion; a
vacuum pump that applies absorbing force to the absorbing nozzle;
an absorbing tube that interconnects the absorbing nozzle and the
vacuum pump; and a scrap case, into which the cut portion is
introduced via the absorbing tube and in which the introduced cut
portion is housed.
14. The film peeling method of claim 11, wherein the peeling pin is
made of a plastic material or a metal.
15. The film peeling method of claim 14, wherein the peeling pin is
made of a plastic material that includes a polyether ether
ketone.
16. The film peeling method of claim 14, wherein the peeling pin is
made of a metal that includes a stainless steel.
17. The film peeling method of claim 11, wherein the peeling roller
is made of a plastic material.
18. The film peeling method of claim 17, wherein the plastic
material includes a polyether ether ketone.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 of
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0097868, filed on Sep. 4,
2012, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of
which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field
Embodiments relate to a film peeling apparatus and a film peeling
method using the same, and more particularly, to a film peeling
apparatus that may be used for peeling a portion of a film attached
to a panel, such as a protective film for a flat panel display
apparatus, and a film peeling method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a protective film for protecting a panel is attached
to a flat panel display apparatus, such as an organic light
emitting display apparatus or a liquid crystal display
apparatus.
The protective film is attached on the front surface of the panel
in which an unnecessary portion of the film is cut and peeled
off.
SUMMARY
Embodiments are directed to a film peeling apparatus including a
peeling pin that push-lifts a first end portion of a cut portion of
a film toward a second end portion of the cut portion, a peeling
roller that push-lifts the second end portion of the cut portion
toward the first end portion of the cut portion by closely
contacting the second end portion of the cut portion and rotating,
and an absorbing unit that absorbs and removes the cut portion of
the film push-lifted by the peeling pin and peeling roller.
The film peeling apparatus may further include a gap probe that
measures a distance between a panel on which the film is located
and the film peeling apparatus and that determines whether the cut
portion is properly removed based on the measured distance.
The absorbing unit may include an absorbing nozzle that contacts
the cut portion, a vacuum pump that applies an absorbing force to
the absorbing nozzle, an absorbing tube that interconnects the
absorbing nozzle and the vacuum pump, and a scrap case, into which
the cut portion is introduced via the absorbing tube and in which
the introduced cut portion is housed.
The peeling pin may be made of a plastic material or a metal.
The peeling pin may be made of a plastic material that includes a
polyether ether ketone (PEEK).
The peeling pin may be made of a metal that includes a stainless
steel.
The peeling roller may be made of a plastic material.
The plastic material may include a polyether ether ketone
(PEEK).
Embodiments are also directed to a film peeling method including
push-lifting a first end portion of a cut portion of a film toward
a second end portion of the cut portion by using a peeling pin,
push-lifting the second end portion of the cut portion toward the
first end portion of the cut portion by bringing a peeling roller
into close contact with the second end portion of the cut portion
and rotating the peeling roller, and absorbing and removing the
push-lifted portion by using an absorbing unit.
The film peeling method may further include measuring a distance
between a panel on which the film is located and the film peeling
apparatus by using a gap probe and determining whether the cut
portion is properly removed based on the measured distance.
The absorbing unit may include an absorbing nozzle that contacts
the cut portion, a vacuum pump that applies absorbing force to the
absorbing nozzle, an absorbing tube that interconnects the
absorbing nozzle and the vacuum pump, and a scrap case, into which
the cut portion is introduced via the absorbing tube and in which
the introduced cut portion is housed.
The peeling pin may be made of a plastic material or a metal.
The peeling pin may be made of a plastic material that includes a
polyether ether ketone (PEEK).
The peeling pin may be made of a metal that includes a stainless
steel.
The peeling roller may be made of a plastic material.
The plastic material may include a polyether ether ketone
(PEEK).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Features will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art
by describing in detail exemplary embodiments with reference to the
attached drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a film peeling apparatus
according to an embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an absorbing unit in
the film peeling apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and
FIGS. 3A through 3G are diagrams sequentially showing stages of a
film peeling process using the film peeling apparatus shown in FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a film peeling apparatus 100
according to an embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the film peeling apparatus 100 according to the
present embodiment includes a peeling pin 110 and a peeling roller
120 for push-lifting two opposite ends of a cut portion of a film,
an absorbing unit 130 for absorbing and removing the push-lifted
cut portion of the film, and a gap probe 140 for determining
whether the cut portion is removed.
The peeling pin 110, the peeling roller 120, the absorbing unit
130, and the gap probe 140 may move vertically to approach toward
and recede from a target object, which is an object from which a
film is to be peeled off, and may also move horizontally with
respect to the target object. Any suitable mechanism for guiding
vertical and horizontal movements of the components may be
used.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the absorbing unit 130 has a
structure in which an absorbing nozzle 131, an absorbing tube 132,
a vacuum pump 134, and a scrap case 133 are connected. Therefore,
when the vacuum pump 134 operates and an absorbing force is applied
to the absorbing nozzle 131, the cut portion 11 of a film is
absorbed by the absorbing force, and the absorbed cut portion 11
moves along the absorbing tube 132 and is housed in the scrap case
133.
The film peeling apparatus 100 having the configuration as
described above removes the cut portion 11 of a protective film 10
as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.
The protective film 10 may be attached to a panel 20 of a flat
panel display apparatus as shown in FIG. 3A. The protective film 10
may be attached to the front surface of the panel 20, and an
unnecessary portion of the protective film 10 may be cut by
irradiating a laser beam as shown in FIG. 3B. As a result, a gap is
formed between the cut portion 11 to be removed and a remaining
portion 12 to be remained on the panel 20, and the two regions 11
and 12 are separated by the gap.
Next, to detach the cut portion 11 from the panel, The film peeling
apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is operated.
As shown in FIG. 3C, the peeling pin 110 is moved down and is
inserted to the gap between the two regions 11 and 12. The peeling
pin 110 may not necessarily be inserted to the gap and may press a
first end portion of the cut portion 11.
The peeling pin 110 is moved toward a second end portion of the cut
portion 11, and thus the first end portion of the cut portion 11 is
slightly push-lifted toward the second end portion of the cut
portion 11, as shown in FIG. 3D.
As shown in FIG. 3E, the peeling roller 120 is moved down, and is
brought into close contact with the second end portion of the cut
portion 11. The peeling roller 120 is rotated, such that the second
end portion of the cut portion 11 is push-lifted toward the first
end portion of the cut portion 11. As a result, the two opposite
end portions of the cut portion 11 are push-lifted toward the
center of the cut portion 11 by the peeling pin 110 and the peeling
roller 120, thereby forming a mountain-like push-lifted portion at
the center portion of the cut portion 11.
Next, the absorbing nozzle 131 of the absorbing unit 130 is moved
down to suck up the push-lifted portion of the cut portion 11 as
shown in FIG. 3F. As a result, the cut portion 11 is absorbed via
the absorbing tube 132 by the absorbing force applied to the
absorbing nozzle 131 and is housed in the scrap case 133, as
described above with reference to FIG. 2. The absorbing force
applied to the absorbing nozzle 131 may be limited to not exceed
600 mmHg. If the absorbing force is too strong, the cut portion 11
may not be detached clean and may be broken. Furthermore, a length
of the absorbing tube 132 from the absorbing nozzle 131 to the
scrap case 133 may be limited to not exceed 2 m. If the length of
the absorbing tube 132 is too long, the cut portion 11 may be stuck
in the absorbing tube 132, for example.
After the cut portion 11 is removed, the gap probe 140 is moved
down and measures a distance between the panel 20 and the film
peeling apparatus 100, determines whether the cut portion 11 is
properly removed based on the measured distance, and notifies a
result of the determination to a user.
As described above, the two opposite end portions of the cut
portion 11 of the protective film 10 are push-lifted by the peeling
pin 110 and the peeling roller 120 and the push-lifted portion is
absorbed and removed by the absorbing unit 130. Accordingly, the
protective film 10 may be precisely and stably peeled off
regardless of a material constituting the protective film 10 unlike
a method using an adhesive tape.
To reduce the possibility of and/or prevent static electricity from
being produced due to friction while the cut portion 11 of the
protective film 10 is being push-lifted, the peeling pin 110 and
the peeling roller 120 may be formed of materials including plastic
materials. For example, the peeling pin 110 and the peeling roller
120 may be formed of a durable and electrically safe material, such
as polyether ether ketone (PEEK).
In other implementations, to reduce the possibility of and/or
prevent the panel 20 below the protective film 10 from being
damaged, the peeling pin 110 may be formed of an elastic metal
piece. For example, when a peeling pin 110 that is formed of a thin
stainless steel plate is inserted into the gap between the cut
portion 11 and the remaining portion 12, even if a leading end
portion of the peeling pin 110 contacts the panel 20, the peeling
pin 110 may be elastically bent. Accordingly, the risk of damaging
the panel 20 may be reduced.
The peeling roller 120, on the other hand, is a component for
closely contacting the cut portion 11. Accordingly, the peeling
roller 120 may be formed of a plastic material. The peeling pin 110
may be selectively formed of the same plastic material for reducing
the possibility of and/or preventing static electricity or of a
metal for preventing damages to the panel 20.
By way of summation and review, if an operation for peeling off an
unnecessary portion of a film is not smoothly performed, the
overall productivity may be deteriorated. For example, if a cut
film is peeled off by attaching an adhesive tape to an end portion
of the cut film and peeling off the cut film using the adhesive
tape, the film may not be peeled off smoothly, depending on the
adhesiveness of the adhesive tape with respect to the film
material, which may vary according to film materials. Therefore, an
apparatus for stably and smoothly performing such a film peeling
operation is desirable.
Embodiments provide an enhanced film peeling apparatus for
performing a precise and stable film peeling operation and a film
peeling method using the same. An operation for removing an
unnecessary portion of a film may be stably and smoothly performed
by using the film peeling apparatus as described above, and thus
the overall productivity may be improved.
While embodiments have been particularly shown and described with
reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood
by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form
and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope thereof, as defined by the following claims.
* * * * *